2. analog
  3. 1368882354

HD Down Load compared to Analog.


Lately, I've been comparing HD Down loads to "analog". The obvious first advantage is no pops and ticks, but that's just for old records. Another advantage for me personally is that I don't have class "A" analog, I have class "B", which is very good. I still use Stereophile magazine's ratings of equipment as a way of conveying how good a piece of equipment is. While folks here put that method of conveying how good a piece of equipment is, they still concur with it, and they don't even know it.

Class "A" analog is the best, and it's always very expensive. You have to have 100% class "A" in the chain to yield class "A" sound, which is why I have Class "B".

In my comparison evaluation, I used Santana "Abraxas" as the test LP. Since I've worn out 5 copies of this album, to say I'm familiar with it is an understatement. "Singing Winds And Crying Beasts" is the first cut, it has "tinkly" sounding chimes that test definition on all equipment. After listening to a new LP, I gave it an "A" rating. This meant the HD Download would have to be some kind of fantastic to top the LP.

As soon as the music began, it became apparent the HD Download was superior; there was a "jet black" background. This is something I had never heard before. I'm fully aware of the fact that's an "oxymoron". "How can you hear what you don't hear, and you have never heard before". Only an audiophile can understand that, consequently, I won't try to explain it. After only two cuts, I gave the HD Download an "A+" rating.

While I have Class "B" analog, if you have Class "A" analog, it might be better than the Download, I don't know. These are the results from my comparison, I would like to hear yours.
orpheus10
mgattmch
572 posts
 
I agree entirely with Orpheus10 on the sound quality of HD computer audio, albeit from a different perspective. See my previous post on this subject:

http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?ddgtl&1364947210&openmine&zzMgattmch&4&5#Mgattmch

BTW; I have no commercial association with HD Tracks, I just like their products.
zd542
5,339 posts
 
I think you are approaching this all wrong. System matching is far more important than just buying a bunch of highly rated components. You can't listen to any one component. The only way you can evaluate a piece of gear is to listen to it as part of a system. You need to consider that when you are reading reviews. A reviewer may rate a component as an A piece, but he can only do this in the context of his own system. You may listen to the same component in your system, and come to the conclusion that its a C component. I know that makes component selection more difficult, but thats just the way it goes.

You can, however, get around all this. I would recommend that you stop reading reviews. You don't need them. It may sound like a weird suggestion, but it works. You'll get much better sound if you go through the process of building a system by yourself, without any help from outside sources. Thats how you really learn audio.
captain_winters
133 posts
 
In my opinion it depends a lot on the catalog number (mix) and pressing. I have some Black Sabbath UK Vertigo first pressings, self titled, and Master of Reality and the presentation of the soundstage and where Ozzy's voice is is different than the remasters. The emphasis on guitar versus voice is completely different. I believe a proper comparison, you would need to ensure that the record and the digital file was generated from the Same master tape, ensuring the same mix. If I didnt have the Vertigo labels with the original mix, I would not have known how different the digital files and re masters sound.
More to discover